I Swear it on the River Styx
by CrazyDolphin
Summary: When Leo says goodbye to the island of Ogygia, he makes a dangerous promise. Now, he'll do whatever it takes to keep it. The story of how Leo sets out to rescue the girl he loves... but is it already too late? A Caleo adventure.
1. Chapter 1

Leo's hands trembled as he held the bronze astrolabe, now fitted with his crystal from Ogygia. Ever since he had returned to the Argo II, Leo had been working non-stop, trying to fix the incomplete tool. It was his only chance at ever finding Calypso.

Calypso.

His heart did a back flip as he thought of her, and the days he had spent on her island...

"Concentrate!" Leo scolded himself. "You gotta focus, or you're never gonna see her again." "

See who again?" Hazel asked, entering the room.

"Hazel! I... What are you doing here?" Leo stammered.

"I came to check up on you," she said, frowning. "Who were you just talking about?"

"Uh, you know..." Leo began. "Buford...ina. Yeah, Bufordina. Buford was gettin' kinda lonely, so I built him a girlfriend. But she flew off somewhere and now I can't find her. He's worried sick."

"Hmm." Hazel didn't press any further, but she didn't seem to be fooled by Leo's Bufordina story. Then she noticed what Leo was holding. "That again?" Hazel asked. "Leo, you have to put that thing down and get some sleep eventually. Or at least eat something."

Leo had to admit, that did sound pretty tempting. He had been up for days trying to fix the astrolabe, hoping that it might lead him back to Ogygia. But he couldn't stop now, not when he was so close.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm not really hungry. Besides, I've got my breath mints, remember?"

Suddenly, Leo realized he'd said the same thing before, to Piper. Well, something similar. That had been back when Festus crashed in Detroit on their quest to save Hera. _Someone else that I lost,_ he thought to himself.

Leo realized that Hazel was still frowning at him, so he added, "Don't worry about me, I'll catch up with you guys later."

Hazel smiled and shook her head. "Just make sure you don't fall asleep on fire, okay? I don't want the ship to go down in flames." She hesitated, then left the room.

Leo looked back down at the astrolabe. The small, round crystal in the center caught the light, casting a rainbow across the floor of his cabin. He had no idea how a regular astrolabe worked, but Leo figured this wasn't a regular astrolabe. Curious, he tilted the astrolabe in different directions, watching as the light passing through was altered. Then, he held the instrument up to his face, so that he was looking directly at the light through the crystal, and his eyes grew wide in surprise.

_Of course. Why didn't I see it before?!_ Leo twisted the crystal one hundred and eighty degrees, and ridges popped out of the smooth bronze surface of the astrolabe. They began twisting and rearranging themselves, until a perfect map of the Mediterranean was laid out before him. Perfect, except for the small dot of land off of the coast of Malta, which wasn't supposed to exist.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! **

**Sorry I didn't add an author's note on the last chapter, I wanted to see what you thought before I added anything. Thanks so much to the wonderful readers who posted reviews! Sorry that the chapters are so short, the whole story overall isn't going to be super long. However, like Rick, I use a lot of cliff-hangers, and chapters are good for those ;). Anyway, hope you like the next part!**

"So... you're probably wondering why I called you in here," Leo began.

Nervously, Leo tapped out morse code on his knee. _I love you, I love you, I love you._ After making his discovery, he had hastily arranged a late-night meeting in the mess hall. Thankfully, nobody complained. Now, the six other members of the Argo II were seated around the dining table, paying close attention to him. Leo took a deep breath.

"I know I didn't exactly go into detail about where I ended up after the Khione incident, but..." Leo silently cursed himself for being such a wimp. Why was it so hard for him to talk to his friends? Then Percy spoke up.

"I think I know. Was it her?" He asked. Leo just nodded, on the verge of tears.

"Oh, Leo..." Hazel put a hand on his shoulder, but he just looked away. It was too hard.

"Gosh, I had no idea, Leo," Percy said finally. "I know it's going to be hard for you to let her go, but-"

"No!" Leo said the word with an intensity that surprised even him. He stood and turned to face the rest of the crew. "I landed on the island of Ogygia, the home and prison of Calypso. She... she helped me get back to the ship, but she's still trapped there. The Gods had promised to release Calypso after the Titan War, but they never followed through. When I left, though, I swore on the River Styx that I would go back and save her. And that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Everyone stared him, wide-eyed and gaping. Leo just collapsed back into his chair, exhausted. Nobody said what Leo was sure all of them were thinking; _an oath to keep with a final breath. _

"Leo," Annabeth said gently. "No one has ever found Ogygia on purpose, and no one has ever found it twice. It's just not possible. Once the war is over, though, we might be able to convince the Gods to finally release Calypso."

"I've got another way," Leo told her. "I found this astrolabe in Bologna that actually shows you where Ogygia is! It needed a crystal in order for it to function properly, but I found one on the island, and now it works." Some of his old excitement started to return as he explained his plan to his friends.

"Well," Jason said, once Leo was finished. "I think we should try to rescue Calypso, if we can. The only problem is, we might not have enough time. We need to be in Athens by August 1st to stop Gaea. We'd be making a complete turnaround to get there. Maybe we should, you know...wait until all of this is over."

Leo jumped up from his seat, anger washing everything in red. Some part of him registered a bright light and the scent of smoke, but he ignored it. How could they talk like this? Especially Jason, his best friend? The only person who might understand was Percy, but even he seemed to be on their side.

"We have to save her!" He exclaimed. Leo couldn't explain it, but he'd never been as passionate about anything as he was about this. Not even about the _Argo II_, and that was saying something.

Leo's thoughts were interrupted as his friends scrambled out of their seats and backed away. He looked down, and realized he was engulfed in flames.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, putting himself out. Cautiously, everyone else sat back down. "Look, I know we're on a tight schedule here, but we need to go back ASAP. I don't know why, but I just have this feeling..."

He remembered what Gaea had said to him. _Need is an overused word. You do not need this._ He pushed the thought aside.

"I say we go back and get Calypso." Leo was shocked to hear Frank defending him. He turned towards Leo. "She was the one who gave you the bag for my piece of firewood, wasn't she? I owe both you my life."

Leo could practically hug the guy. Okay, no he couldn't. Still, he was grateful.

"Thanks, man," he managed. "I-I don't know what to say."

"I agree with Frank," Hazel chimed in. "After all, we still have a couple of weeks until the Feast of Spes. We could probably make it, if we hurried."

"Well..." Percy said hesitantly. "I guess we could try." Jason and Annabeth nodded in agreement.

"I definitely think we should try to rescue her," Piper said firmly.

"Seriously, you guys are awesome," Leo sniffled, tears once again welling up in his eyes.

"Leo, are you actually getting sentimental?" Hazel asked in mock surprise.

Everyone laughed, and Leo felt like he'd had an enormous weight lifted off of his shoulders. Talking about Calypso didn't make him miss her less, but it made him feel less... alone. And with all of his friends helping, how could Leo possibly fail?

"Alright then, what are we waiting for?" He asked. "Let's turn this ship around!"

Leo grinned and ran for the helm. _Hang on, Calypso,_ he thought. _We're coming for you._

**So, what did you think? Reviews are welcome, though constructive criticism is preferred over flames. Thanks for reading! P.S. Don't worry, Calypso will appear later on in the story. Hang in there!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! Thanks again to the readers who reviewed/favorited/followed this story, you guys are the reason I write! This is my first fanfic, so it means a lot to me to hear what you think. I know you've been asking for more updates, so here it is; chapter 3!**

Leo probably would have gotten them all killed if it weren't for Percy.

Despite his excitement at the chance to find Ogygia, Leo had fallen asleep at the wheel. When the _Argo II_ nearly smashed into a small, uncharted island (unfortunately not Ogygia), Percy had just barely been able to save the ship from making an unexpected stop. Of course, in the mean time, Leo had been snoozing on the deck. Finally, he caved to Hazel and Piper's pestering and went down to his cabin to take a nap. However, Leo made them promise to wake him up once they got anywhere close to their destination.

Later, Leo regretted falling asleep. As soon as he closed his eyes, he was plunged into a dream. Or, more accurately, a nightmare.

Leo dreamed that he was standing in front of Calypso's cave on Ogygia, but the island looked as though it had been abandoned for years. A torn curtain fluttered on the rod that he had once fixed. Peering through, Leo could see that a thick layer of cobwebs covered the interior. Something else seemed off, but he couldn't figure it out. Suddenly, he realized what was wrong; the invisible servants that normally took care of the chores were gone. Nothing moved. Leo turned around, and let out a startled yelp. Everything was dead; the flowers in Calypso's once beautiful garden had all wilted, the grass was pale yellow, even the trees looked less... leafy. _You are too late, little demigod._ Gaea's face appeared in the sand. She smiled. _It is pointless to go back to her. Calypso is already doomed, and soon, her island will be no more._

Leo couldn't breathe. _Already doomed._

"Wh-what did you do to her?" He whimpered, tears burning his eyes. Gaea simply chuckled. "What did you do to her?!" He shouted.

Gaea laughed again. Suddenly, a tremor shook the island. Gulls shrieked overhead, and waves began to climb the beach. With a start, Leo realized that the island was sinking. Then he heard Calypso's voice.

"Leo!"

Her voice was filled with terror. Leo looked around frantically, but he couldn't find her.

"Calypso! Calypso!" He shouted her name desperately.

Leo tried to pinpoint the direction from which her cry had come, but it was useless. Her voice seemed to surround him, as if she were the island itself. He broke down and sobbed.

"Calypso! I tried as hard as I could to come back to you! Every day, I never gave up. I... I love you!" She screamed again, and the pain in her voice tore him apart. "Calypso!"

"Leo!" This time, a different person called out to him. It sounded like a girl's voice, but not Calypso's. "Leo!"

Leo woke up in a cold sweat. He couldn't stop trembling. Piper and Hazel stood over him, wearing matching expressions of fear and worry. Just then, Jason and Annabeth rushed in. Leo gasped, feeling like he'd been punched in the gut. His eyes felt wet, which meant he must have been crying in his sleep. He tried his best to wipe away the tears, but he still felt shattered.

"Gods, Leo, are you all right?!" Piper exclaimed. "We were coming to wake you up, and we heard you screaming."

"Are we there yet?" Leo asked quickly. "Have you seen land? Is the island there?"

"Um, about that..." Piper hesitated. "We're close, but Ogygia hasn't appeared yet. We should have spotted it by now, though." Leo paled. Suddenly, it felt as if the cabin was spinning around him. "Leo, what happened? We heard you screaming Calypso's name, and, well... you seemed really upset."

Leo explained his dream about Gaea and the island. By the time he was done, Frank had arrived as well. Percy was still above deck, steering the ship.

"Hey," Jason said, once Leo was finished. "I'm sure it's going to be okay. Gaea probably showed you that just to scare you. She can't be close enough to consciousness to sink an island, especially a magic one."

"Maybe," Leo responded. "But I know one thing's for sure; something's happened, and Calypso's in trouble."

**Dun Dun Dun! I told you Calypso would appear later, didn't I? (Please don't kill me!) I warned you, I'm as evil as Rick when it comes to cliff-hangers. Fear not, though, more chapters are to come!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again, readers! I apologize for the long wait, this chapter took a little longer than I expected. I promise, though, you won't have to wait more than a week for each update. Anyway, here's the next part. Enjoy!**

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Ten minutes later, the _Argo II_ crew members had left Leo's cabin. He was pacing the helm, looking over the astrolabe and trying to make sense of everything. Why couldn't he find Ogygia? Jason was right; there was no way that Gaea could have sunk it completely. Leo knew he was in the right place, so... it had to be the gods. That must be the secret of the island. It had always been here, but whenever ships got too close, the gods made sure they stayed away. Realizing this made Leo more furious than ever. The gods hadn't just forgotten their promise; they had broken it. How cruel could they be?

"Aphrodite!" Leo shouted. He knew his friends would hear him and think that he'd lost it, but Leo was beyond caring. "I know you can hear me! Does love even mean anything to you? Please, I'm begging you." His voice broke. He spoke again, this time his voice barely audible. "Just let me find Calypso. We both made promises to help her."

"Well, there's no need to shout." A voice scolded him.

Leo whirled around, and there stood Piper's mother, Aphrodite. He couldn't believe it. Leo hadn't actually expected her to respond; he was simply venting frustration.

"I didn't promise to release Calypso, Zeus did. Still, I might be able to help."

"Might?" Leo didn't like the sound of 'might'.

"It depends. We need to have a little chat, so that I can decide whether or not I can help you."

"What?" Aphrodite's words didn't make any sense to him, but he had to get to Calypso as fast as possible. "Uh, I hate to break it to you, but I don't have time to-"

Aphrodite huffed in exasperation. "Ugh, you mortals. Always so impatient," she complained.

Aphrodite snapped her fingers, and all of a sudden, everything froze. Leo looked around, but nothing was moving except for the two of them.

"Wh-what's going on?" Leo was still confused. Aphrodite sighed.

"This is only temporary. Time isn't stopped, but it's moving so slowly that your eyes can't see movement. Kind of like a sunrise," She explained. This way, we'll have time to talk."

"Okay... What do we need to discuss before you can decide whether or not you'll help?"

"It's not a matter of whether I _will _help you, it's whether I _can_. You see, I am the goddess of love, as you already know. This is my sphere of power. Love can be powerful, if it is true. However, I have no power over false feelings. There is nothing I can do, unless you can pass one final test."

"You don't believe that I love her? That she loves me?" Leo clenched his fists. The things that Calypso and he had been through in the past, the sacrifices they had made for each other; weren't they worth something?

"Oh, I know what you're thinking," she said, startling him. "I'm quite good at reading emotions besides love. It's true, you and Calypso have come far. There's only one last piece of information you needed to know; one final test that you must pass. Which is why I'm here." She smiled sadly. "Leo, I think you know what I'm going to tell you, don't you?"

"Uh, if I already knew what you were going to tell me, then why would you need to tell me?" He replied nervously. Leo knew exactly where this was headed.

"Because you haven't known for sure; you've been trying to convince yourself that you're wrong about what you've suspected all along. However, there's more to explain. You see, prophecies aren't necessarily predictions of the future; they're more like frameworks. They can be fulfilled in different ways. Different people, different events, even different interpretations. But they must be fulfilled." Aphrodite paused, and Leo braced himself for the worst part.

"What I'm here to tell you is that based on events right now, your promise to Calypso will be the one that fulfills the prophecy of the seven. Now, here's the part you may not have known; if you turned away, stopped looking for her now, you'd survive. If you came back to Ogygia after the war, you would live, but still keep your promise to return. A different oath would become the oath of the prophecy."

"So wait, hold on," Leo said, trying to make sense of everything that Aphrodite had just told him. "If I try to find Calypso now, I die, but if I try to find her later, I live?"

"Your oath would no longer be the one spoken of in the prophecy," Aphrodite responded Slowly. She sounded like she was trying to choose her words carefully.

Leo considered his options. He certainly didn't like the dying part, but could he really go to Athens and leave Ogygia now? His friends had taken him all this way just so he could rescue Calypso. Plus, Leo still didn't know what had happened to her. If he came back after the war, assuming he came back alive, it might be too late. No, it would be too late. Plus, Leo could never forgive himself if he stepped aside and let one of his friends die because of the line in the prophecy. He took a deep breath and stood up straight.

"I understand what will happen to me if I try to reach Ogygia now. I'm willing to accept my fate, however, and go through with it. But-" Leo faltered. "Can you tell me one thing?"

"What do you wish to know?" Aphrodite asked.

"Even if I die, will Calypso live if I try to rescue her now?"

Aphrodite puased for a moment. "I cannot tell you this, but I can tell you that your other friends would make it to the island alive. And I trust I don't have to tell you that they would never abandon her."

"Then I'm willing to search for Calypso's island and rescue her now." Leo said, puting more courage into his words than he felt. Aphrodite smiled, obviously pleased.

"Very good, Leo Valdez. You've proven that your love for Calypso is true and undivided, which is something that no man has ever done before. This was the real key to lifting the curse on Ogygia all along. If you don't get a chance to speak to Calypso again, I will make sure she knows what you have done."

With that, time returned to normal, and Aphrodite disappeared, just as the island of Ogygia appeared on the horizon.

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**All right, so maybe I didn't completely resolve the cliff-hanger yet... guess you'll have to wait :). Also, If you have something to say, say it! I LOVE to get reviews from you guys, they help me to make the story into something you'll enjoy even more. Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone! I'm not going to make this a super long author's note, but I just wanted to say thank you for the millionth time to all you reviewers out there. I'd like to give a special shoutout to Happitea, who has reviewed every chapter so far. You're awesome! Also, I appreciate those of you who take the time to read the author's note as well. They're not as easy to write as you might think! (Well, so much for keeping it short...) Anyway, here's chapter four.**

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Leo heard a loud thump behind him on the deck. He whirled around, and saw Jason, who had flown down from the crow's nest.

"Good news! I spotted Ogygia, so..." Leo must have looked pretty upset, because Jason frowned when he saw his expression. "Hey, you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm good," Leo replied, trying to smile. "Come on, We need to get ready to land! I don't wanna crash on her island twice. She was, uh, kinda upset the first time."

"The first time?" Jason raised an eyebrow. "Dude, you gotta tell us what happened there later." Leo flinched at the last word.

"Yeah, later," he mumbled. Well, I gotta go... check on Festus. Make sure things are running smoothly."

Before Jason could ask any more questions, Leo ran to the prow. He pretended to tinker with the figurehead, but he kept looking up at Ogygia. In the early morning light, it was difficuld to make out details, but there was no doubt that it was the island Leo had been searching for. Suddenly, he noticed a dark column rising from the beach; smoke. Instantly, Leo panicked. _Calm down,_ he told himself. _It's probably just one of Calypso's campfires. That must mean she's okay._ But, as the ship got closer, Leo realized that the smoke was too dark, too thick, to be a simple campfire. There was too much of it. Then he noticed shapes moving around on the beach... which meant that Calypso wasn't alone.

"No! No, no, no, no, no!" Leo screamed. "This can't be happening!"

He sprinted back to the helm at a speed that even Arion wouldn't have been able to outrun. "Percy! Percy!"

"Whoa, what's going on?" Percy asked, catching Leo's arm before he plowed into him.

"You gotta... make the ship... go faster!" Leo panted. "Can you... speed up... the ocean currents... or something? We have... to hurry!"

"I can try," He replied uncertainly. "Leo, what's going on?"

"My dream was right," Leo told him quickly. "Calypso's in trouble! I saw things moving around on the beach, and there was a lot of smoke!"

"You mean on Ogygia?"

"No, the other beach on the other island that Calypso's on!" The Leo stopped himself. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. But seriously, we need to get there NOW!"

"All right, I'm on it!"

Leo dashed to the front of the ship. During his conversation with Percy, the _Argo II_ had gotten close enough to Ogygia for Leo to see what was going on. And he didn't like what he saw. Four snake-ladies (Leo could never remember the names for the different kinds of monsters) were camped on the beach, all of whom were armed with swords and shields. The smoke he had seen earlier was rising from somewhere in the forest, from which a fifth monster emerged. Up by Calypso's cave, the curtain was in shreds, just like in his dream. Another one of the monsters pushed aside the curtain and stepped out. That made half a dozen in all. Suddenly, Annabeth emerged from below deck.

"Hey, I thought I heard-" she took one look at the island and muttered a curse. "Scythian Dracaenae! This is bad. We need to-"

Once again, Annabeth was cut off, as the _Argo II_ lurched. At first, Leo was worried that Calypso's curse was somehow preventing the ship from nearing the island. However, he realized what the problem was when he leaned over the side of the ship and peered into the water. Leo groaned.

"Really? A sandbar? We came all this way, just to be stopped by a sandbar?" Leo scowled. "There's no way we'll be able to get the _Argo II _any closer."

He felt like punching something. Or screaming. Or both. But one thing was for sure, Leo wasn't going to let this stop him. He knew what he had to do. Suddenly, Annabeth frowned.

"Leo, don't do it," She told him. "I know you want to save her, but you can't just-"

"I have to," he had no idea how she was able to guess what he was thinking, but he knew that Annabeth was never wrong. "The prophecy, remember?" Annabeth paled.

"You don't know that it's you. Just wait a minute, I'll think of something."

"Yes, I do know. Someone... someone told me." He smiled weakly. "You're a good friend. I'm glad I got to go on this quest with you and the others, but my part is over. Tell Jason and Pipes I'm sorry. And no matter what happens, just please make sure Calypso's safe. It's my final request." With that, Leo jumped over the side.

As he fell, all he could think about was Calypso. He wished he could be there for her, but there was no other way. He took one final breath, just before he plunged into the water below.

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**So, what did you guys think? Yes, I know, I'm probably a jerk for dragging this out, but I'll make it up to you****. Next chapter, we'll see Calypso (and this time, I mean in person). As always, reviews are welcome, though not mandatory.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm so so so so so sorry this took so long! I've been really busy lately, but I'll make sure that I get chapter 7 to you ASAP. Once again, Thanks for reading!**

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Leo had never been particularly jealous of Percy's powers, but now he wished he had them. It would have been pretty useful to be able to breathe underwater, or at least will the currents to push him towards Ogygia. He had no idea which way was up, or how deep he was, but he began to kick his legs. Just as he was starting to lose hope, Leo's head broke the surface of the water.

Leo gasped. It took him a moment to find the island, but once he did, he began to swim towards it._ Just keep going,_ he thought. _No turning back now. _He was careful not to swim in the direction of the monsters; Leo figured direct confrontation would end badly, especially without any sort of weapon. Instead, he aimed for the spot where he and Calypso had spoken for the last time.

It seemed like ages had passed before Leo finally reached the shore. He collapsed on the sand, utterly exhausted. Black spots swarmed across his vision. Just as Leo felt himself drifting into unconsciousness, he heard voice. It was faint, but it sounded as if it were coming from the cave.

"Leave this place at once! You do not belong here!" Leo sat up. It was Calypso! He looked around and saw her cave, realizing that must be where she was.

"Silence, traitor!" A reptilian voice hissed. "Gaea shall decide what to do with you soon enough. Until then, you shall speak no more."

Leo stifled a gasp. A few more muffled noises came from the cave, then silence. He jumped up and scrambled behind a large rock nearby, just as one of the Scythian Dracaenae he had seen earlier emerged. He waited until she had left, then sprinted towards the cave. Towards Calypso. He threw open the ruined curtain, and there she was, kneeling on the ground, weeping softly. She was wearing the same t-shirt and jeans he had seen her in on his last day, but they were smudged with dirt and slightly torn. Her hands were tied behind her back, and her mouth was gagged. Leo could barely stand to see her in such a miserable state. He rushed over to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Calypso!" He said softly. "Calypso, it's me, Leo." She looked up, and her eyes widened. Then she began to cry harder. "It's alright, I'm here to rescue you. I promised I'd come back, didn't I?" He pulled the gag away from her mouth so that she could speak.

"Leo! I did not dare to hope that you would return, but... how? How is this possible? Oh, Leo..." She sobbed. Leo pulled her into a tight hug. After a moment, he remembered where they were, and he released her.

"Oh, right! I'm such an idiot! We've got to get your hands untied." He pulled a sharp knife out of his tool belt and began to saw at the ropes.

"Leo, you must hurry!" She warned. "My captors will be back soon. They will not kill me, but you will be in danger." Leo didn't respond.

Finally, the ropes loosened, and Calypso slipped her hands out. He helped her up, and she wrapped her arms around him, resting her chin on his shoulder. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, Leo pulled away slightly.

"I love you," he told her. "If anything happens to me, I just want you to know that."

"Do not say that," Calypso pleaded.

"What, 'I love you'?" He grinned. Calypso rolled her eyes, but she was smiling, too. "Come on, let's go."

They broke apart and crept toward the entrance to the cave. Leo motioned for Calypso to wait, then slowly leaned around the mouth of the cave. Down on the beach, he could see the Scythian Dracaenae, who seemed to be arguing about something. Then, one of them lunged at the other, and Leo ducked back into the cave. When he poked his head out again, only five of the monsters were left. Suddenly, Leo had an idea.

"Wait here," he whispered.

Leo could see that Calypso wanted to go with him, but reluctantly, she nodded. Leo started down the path that lead to the beach, hardly daring to breathe. Along the way, he picked up a handful of small small stones. Thankfully, the monsters were too absorbed in the argument to notice him making his way towards the group. Once he got close, he threw a stone at the nearest one, then hid behind a bush.

"What was that?" She screeched. Then she turned to the snake-warrior next to her. "You! did you really think I would not notice?"

"What are you talking about?" The other one snarled. The first Dracaenea just ignored her, probably thinking she'd imagined it. Leo threw a rock at the second one.

"Argh! I told you! I did nothing!" Leo threw another one at a third monster. She howled, then attacked the second one.

Pretty soon, the five Scythian Dracaenae were rolling around in the sand, hissing and clawing at one another. Leo ran back up to the cave, and grabbed Calypso's hand, dragging her towards the beach.

"Hurry!" He shouted behind him.

Leo was wondering how they'd get back to the ship, when he saw something moving towards them across the water. Suddenly, he realized that it was his friends. Percy was riding a wave, Jason flew, and Hazel rode a giant eagle, which had to be Frank. Annabeth and Piper were still on the ship, watching nervously.

"All right!" He turned to Calypso. "We did it! You're getting out of here!"

Calypso smiled and opened her mouth to say something, then stopped. All of a sudden, the smile melted off her face and she screamed.

"Leo! Behind you!"

Leo spun around so fast, he nearly toppled over. Standing about twenty feet away from them was a Dracaenae. Somehow, she had survived, and now she had come for them.

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**So, what do you think is going to happen next? If you have something to say, don't be afraid to review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello everyone! I know I left you on ANOTHER cliff-hanger last time, so I made sure to get this one out as quickly as I could. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!**

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Leo pulled a hammer out of his belt and held his other arm put protectively.

"Calypso, run!" He shouted. "I'll hold her off, that should give the others enough time to-"

"No!" Calypso cut him off. "Leo, I will not let you. Her only job is to capture me. If you leave, she will not harm you." The Dracaenae smiled.

"Yes, be a good boy and listen to your friend," She hissed. "Step aside, and I will let you live."

"I hate to burst your bubble, but I'm not interested," he growled. Then he looked over his shoulder at Calypso. He realized that this was the last time he would ever see her again. "Don't worry. My friends'll make sure you get out of here."

"Leo, please..." There were tears in her eyes.

"I-" He didn't get a chance to finish what he was going to say. The Scythian Dracaenae attacked him, and he raised his hammer, just barely deflecting the blade."Go! Now!"

Calypso took a few steps back. Leo swung his hammer, but the monster was surprisingly fast. She jumped back and jabbed at him. He tried to dodge it, but he was a second too slow. The blade cut a gash in his shoulder, and Calypso let out a small gasp.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "But you have to GO!"

The Dracaenae stabbed at him again, but this time Leo was ready. He swung his hammer again, and knocked the sword out of her hand. She hissed, and lunged at him. Before he even had time to react, something sharp was plunged into his left side. Pain exploded is his chest as Leo sank down on one knee, his vision turning blurry. As the monster drew back, he saw that she held a knife, now covered in his blood. Somehow, the Dracaenae had drawn it when she lost her sword, without Leo noticing.

"Leo!" Calypso screamed. Her voice sounded watery and distant.

Then, out of nowhere, his friends appeared. At first, Leo was confused, but he realized that they must have finally reached the island. Leo had never seen anyone as terrified as the Scythian Dracaenae was right then. She tried to run, but Percy caught up with her and took her down in a matter of seconds. Leo groaned and collapsed. Calypso and the four demigods rushed to his side.

"No, no!" Calypso cried, taking his hand. Leo could see that Hazel and Frank were crying.

"Hang in there, Leo. You aren't dying on us now." Jason said firmly. "I'm finding another route to shore, and we'll get you to the infirmary. You'll be fine. Percy, make sure there aren't any other monsters left. Hazel, Frank, Calypso, take care of Leo until I get back." He flew off towards the ship.

"Calypso..." He coughed. "I'm sorry... I-I didn't..."

"No!" Calypso exclaimed. "Leo, you will be fine. We only need to get you back to your ship-"

"The prophecy," Hazel sobbed. "A prophecy told us that one of us would die to keep a promise." Calypso's face turned as white as a sheet of paper.

"You knew," she whispered.

"Yeah." He coughed again. "But there's no way I'd ever leave you here. I-"

Calypso leaned forward and kissed him. "You knew you would die and you still came back for me. Leo, you are truly the bravest of all heroes." A single tear ran down her cheek. "I love you."

Neither of them spoke. Calypso squeezed her eyes shut, her entire body shaking. Seeing her so visibly upset gave Leo a sudden burst of energy. He realized that if he died, she wouldn't just be sad, she'd be utterly destroyed. Her heart had been broken so many times already. Then, finally, after three thousand years, someone had returned her love and came back for her, and now he was about to die. Leo struggled to prop himself up on his elbows.

"No. There's no way I'm gonna die like this," he managed. "Not gonna happen."

Calypso opened her eyes, still full of tears. "Leo..." She said softly. "The prophecy said-"

"Yeah, well, you might have noticed I'm not good at following rules." He managed to smirk. She smiled sadly back at him.

"I have."

"I did make it this far, didn't I?" Suddenly, Leo noticed something behind Calypso. It was the _Argo II_! Jason, Piper, and Annabeth had finally found a way to get to the island. Calypso turned to see what he was looking at, and her face lit up.

"Hold on, Leo. Just a little longer!" She squeezed his hand.

Leo wondered if maybe, just maybe, he was going to make it. Then, his thoughts turned fuzzy, and he collapsed onto his back. Calypso's smile disappeared.

"Leo! Please, do not go! Your ship is here, your friends can take care of you! Just..."

Leo couldn't hear the rest of what she was saying. It was as if he we're watching his life on a TV screen, but with bad quality and no sound.

"Calypso, I-" Leo never finished his sentence. He felt himself drift further away, and everything turned to black.

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**Hi again! Don't worry, I already have the next chapter started... or do I? Maybe this is where the story ends. Muahahahaha! Guess you'll have to find out. :) **


	8. Chapter 8

**I won't add a long author's note here, since I know I left you on the worst cliff hanger yet, but I just wanted to thank those of you who pointed out my huge mistake with chapter six. As ****I've said before, I love constructive criticism! Anyway, this is my apology chapter for all of the cliff hangers I gave you.**

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Leo's first thought was that he didn't expect the underworld to look like this. The sky was a bright white, with nothing in it. Suddenly, he realized that he was looking at a ceiling, not the sky. Leo was in a room. He tried to move, then winced. His left side was still sore from his fight with the...

Leo sat up straight. _Where am I?_ _How am I still alive__? Ow!_ His thoughts came one after another, as his memory of what had happened on the island came back to him, bit by bit. He looked around the room, and realized he was in the sick bay. No, that couldn't be possible. He was dead. He died on Ogygia. Leo could remember every detail of what had taken place now, and his memories told him he was dead. But his eyes told him otherwise. He looked down at himself. His side was tightly bandaged, and his clothes, well... surprisingly, they looked completely fine. Leo figured that had to be proof that he was dead, until he remembered that they were enchanted to be that way. Calypso had... _Calypso!_ Leo couldn't believe he had forgotten. Calypso had to be worried by now. After all, if Leo himself had believed he was dead, what would she have thought? He jumped out of bed, ignoring the pain, and ran out-

_Crash! _Leo slammed into Piper, knocking her over. For a moment, she sat on the floor, dazed. Then her eyes widened in surprise.

"Leo!" She exclaimed, tackling him with a hug.

"Jeez, Pipes," he laughed. "Just because I didn't die back on the island doesn't mean you can't still suffocate me!" She let go.

"Sorry! I just... I can't believe it! You're alive!"

"Well, last time I checked, yeah." He smiled, then remembered why he was in the hallway.

"Hey, do you know where Calypso is?" "

She's in Coach Hedge's cabin. We cleaned it out for her. She... isn't doing so well". Leo was instantly worried

"What happened? Was she attacked? Is she hurt? What happened?" He frowned. "Did I already say that?"

"No, she's not hurt," Piper assured him. She smiled. "She's just as worried about you as you are about her. Guess I should have been more specific. She'll be fine when she sees that you're okay, though."

Leo nodded, then bolted. He ran up to Coach's cabin, paused for a moment at the door, then knocked.

"Please, I wish to be left alone," She said, sniffling.

"Okay," he said casually. "I guess if now isn't a good time for you, I'll-"

the door flew open, and there stood Calypso. Leo couldn't help but grin. She stared at him for a minute In disbelief. Then she smiled.

"No, it is fine. I suppose I could tolerate your presence for a little while." She threw her arms around his neck, and they both laughed. Suddenly, Leo heard someone sneeze. Turning to his right, Leo saw his six friends gathered at the end of the hallway. He pulled away from Calypso, his face burning, and she laughed again.

"So, um... yeah." He cleared his throat. "I'm sure you guys all know Calypso by now."

"Well, it has been a week," Hazel said, smiling.

"What?!" Leo exclaimed.

This time, everyone laughed. Looking up, Leo realized his hair was on fire. Again. He tried his best to put it out, his face a deeper shade of red than the flames. At this point, Leo would have been ready to crawl under a rock and die from embarrassment, if it weren't for Calypso. For the first time, she looked truly happy. The sadness that used to linger behind her every smile was gone, and now she seemed to glow. If his getting embarrassed made her laugh like that, then, well... maybe it wasn't such a bad thing.

"Is anyone else starving?" He asked finally.

"Yes, you should eat something," Calypso agreed. "Fortunately, you woke up just before we were going to have dinner."

"Well, then, let's go eat!"

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**Okay, I decided that I'd give you one chapter that didn't end with a cliff hanger... unless you're dying to know what they have for dinner :). I'll wrap things up in the next chapter, so be on the lookout for number nine!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello, faithful readers! I'm so sorry, I broke my one-week-update promise! Hope you guys like the ending, though. I tried for cute, mostly. I've said it a billion times and I'll say it again; thank you so much for reading!**

**P.S. If you have any requests for other stories, feel free to include them in your reviews.**

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Ten minutes later, the 7 demigods and Calypso were gathered in the mess hall, happily eating their favorite meals. Leo noticed that Calypso's meal consisted of cider and stew, and wondered if she was homesick. She looked up at him and smiled. Suddenly, there was a bright flash, and a cloud of pink smoke filled the room. When it cleared, Aphrodite stood behind Leo and Calypso.

"Mom!" Piper exclaimed, surprised.

"Hello, my dear," she said. "It's been a while. I'm afraid I've come to speak with someone else, but after the war is over, the two of us must take a trip to the mall! We'll pick out an entirely new wardrobe for you!" She smiled, as if she'd just handed Piper a check for a million dollars. This seemed more like the Aphrodite that the girls had described, not the serious goddess that he had met the week before.

"No, that's okay," she mumbled, sliding down in her seat. Clearly, she wasn't interested in any sort of clothes that her mom picked out.

"Ah, well. Another time, then." She looked down at Leo and Calypso. "Would you two please join me above deck?"

With that, Aphrodite disappeared. A moment later, a loud popping noise came from above. Calypso looked nervous. Considering what her past love life had been like, she had good reason if the love goddess wanted to speak with her. Leo squeezed her hand.

"Don't worry, she doesn't bite. Not usually." Despite Leo's efforts to lighten the mood, she still seemed uneasy.

"Leo..." Calypso began. "While you were... unconscious... Aphrodite spoke to me. She told me about her conversation with you, and that there was no chance that you would awaken. I did not want to believe her, but after a week, I began to doubt..." Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Hey, it'll be fine," Leo reassured her. "Obviously she was wrong, right? I don't know what she would still want to talk about, but I doubt she'd go to all this trouble to help us rescue you if she was planning something bad for us."

Calypso wiped her eyes. Her sad, worried expression was replaced with one of determination, as if after three thousand years of heartbreak, this time she wouldn't take no for an answer. Even from a goddess. Together, they stood and exited the dining room.

When they got to the deck, Leo was surprised to see that it was nighttime. Thousands of stars glittered in the sky. Aphrodite was leaned against the railing, looking out across the sea. When she heard them coming, she turned around and smiled. Leo wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Leo, do you know why I came to talk to you again?" Despite what Leo had said to Calypso, as soon as Aphrodite spoke, he lost his nerve.

"You- you aren't here to like, kill me or something, are you? 'Cause I know you said that I was supposed to be the one who died because of the prophecy, but really, I'm fine with this instead." He stammered. She simply laughed.

"No, no. If that were the case, you'd most likely be speaking with Thanatos right now. I'm here to explain what I'm sure you're wondering, and perhaps offer something." Offer something? Leo wasn't sure what to make of that. "You see, Leo, despite what you may think, you already died. The third line of the prophecy is complete." She paused to let that sink in. Leo's head suddenly felt like a balloon. Calypso frowned.

"But how can that be?" Calypso asked. "He is here."

"You died the day after you rescued Calypso. You drew your last breath, fulfilling the prophecy. But Calypso brought you back to life. She sang to you, and her powers were able to revive you before your soul was taken to the underworld. Of course, she had a little help, even if she didn't know it." Aphrodite winked. Leo turned to Calypso.

"You sang to me while I was out?" He asked, raising one eyebrow. Calypso just blushed. "Too bad I wasn't awake to hear it." He grinned, and she blushed deeper. Aphrodite squealed, and they both gave her a strange look.

"Oh, I'm soooo glad I brought you two together! Anyway, here's what I'd like to offer you," she said, turning to Calypso. "Calypso, I would like to offer you mortality. If you so choose, I can make you fifteen, just like Leo. You would still have your memories from the last three thousand years, of course, but you would grow old and die, as a mortal would. That way, you and Leo could truly be together!" She paused, giving her a chance to answer.

"Become... Mortal?" She asked uncertainly. Aphrodite bobbed her head up and down. Leo was suddenly worried she might say no. Then he scolded himself for being so selfish. It wasn't his place to ask her to do something so big,

"Look, Calypso," he began. "If you don't want to, I-"

"No, no, that is not what I meant," she explained quickly. "It is simply a strange though." She turned back to face Aphrodite. "If this means I may be with Leo, then I will accept your gift and become mortal."

Aphrodite's face lit up like a little kid's, and Leo though she might squeal again. Thankfully, she didn't. Instead, she placed a hand on Calypso's shoulder and closed her eyes. A rosy glow surrounded Calypso, then disappeared. She took a deep breath.

"There. Now, I'm afraid I must go. Zeus is not going to be happy when he finds out about this." Leo wasn't sure if she meant about helping him to free Calypso, or simply speaking with the demigods. "'ll be keeping an eye on you two, though!" She waved, then disappeared.

Leo and Calypso crossed over to the spot where Aphrodite had stood a moment ago. They held hands in silence.

"You didn't have to do that," Leo said finally.

"Nor did you," she replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Returning to rescue me. Fighting the Scythian Dracaenae."

"Yeah I did." He smiled. "Like I said, I'm not gonna start Leo and Calypso's Auto Repair without Calypso. But immortality? Are you sure?"

"Do you mean to say that you want me to ask to have it back?"

Leo was crazy nervous, but he leaned forward and kissed her.

"No, not really." He replied. Calypso smirked at him.

"Finally had the courage to kiss me back?" She teased. Leo chuckled. She turned to look out across the sea, still smiling.

"Thinking about Ogygia?" He asked. She turned back to look him.

"How did you know?" Calypso asked. He shrugged. She looked down at her hands. "I suppose I miss it a little. But I am also glad to have left. There were... too many memories."

"Well, I guess you can start over, then. Make new memories," he said.

He wasn't sure if he'd said the right thing, but then she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. Definitely the right thing. Leo looked up at the stars, thinking about how alike he and Calypso were, at heart. Both of them had never had any luck with love before, and they had both been alone in their own ways, until they met each other. They had both been waiting for their happy ending to come. He looked down at her.

"We both can."


End file.
